


Heaps

by aftersoon (notboldly)



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Healing, M/M, Mythology - Freeform, Other, Platonic Cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-28
Updated: 2013-07-28
Packaged: 2017-12-21 16:40:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/902518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notboldly/pseuds/aftersoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony didn't understand it, but that didn't mean he didn't like it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heaps

Tony didn't know how it started.

Well, actually, that wasn't entirely true. He was mostly positive that it had started with Bruce and Jane Foster getting friendlier than expected, and he could almost understand that. After all, they were both brilliant physicists, and Bruce's psychological issues had their own personality while Jane was dating a Norse god; they probably had a lot to talk about, the sort of conversations that left other people behind. Thor…well, Thor's involvement had followed quite naturally after the initial hiccup, because Thor loved Jane and respected Bruce, and Thor was a surprisingly good conversationalist when he tried. So, really, their friendly little triad was quite natural.

He just didn't understand the cuddling. At all.

Not, of course, that Tony was opposed to cuddling; he'd been known to smother Pepper with a classic octopus cuddle in his sleep, after all. He was a little surprised that, of the three of them, they all enjoyed that sort of…intimate thing. Thor didn't have any of the masculinity hang-ups that Tony would have expected, and Jane seemed not to mind the break in her day for a fairly frivolous activity. And Bruce enjoyed it, Tony knew he did, and that was just about the weirdest thing, because Bruce _didn't like to be touched._

It was a mystery, and Tony didn't like mysteries.

****

Tony asked Bruce about it once and exactly once. Not directly—Tony wasn't sure he wanted to come across as _interested_ even though he definitely was—but he'd posted a sign that said "no cuddle piles in the workshop before 5," and the conversation had followed. Bruce hadn't looked nearly as exasperated as Tony had expected, either.

"It's about keeping calm," Bruce explained, which Tony didn't believe for one second. If all Bruce needed to keep calm was the occasional _hug_ , Tony could have happily provided that—octopus cuddler, remember? But Bruce had never asked him, and outsourcing for cuddles didn't make sense.

"It's an orgy, right? It's gotta be an orgy. Post-orgasmic bliss."

Bruce sighed, crossing his arms and looking pointedly at his work.

"It's not an orgy, Tony."

Tony wasn't sure whether the reassurance made it better or worse, but he let it go. For a while, at least. But then, he caught them on one of the lower floors, a motionless and happy heap resting quietly on the couch, speaking in hushed tones, and he couldn't take it anymore.

He asked Jane next, because he figured that she at least would give him a straight answer. She seemed genuinely honest and didn't know him well enough to consider him a pest, and she smiled when he asked.

She didn't answer him. Or, rather, she gave him another non-answer.

"It's nice to be close to someone, sometimes." Which, yes, Tony could understand that, but that couldn't be it either. Jane didn't seem like a lonely person, and she already had _Thor_ , for Christ's sake. How lonely could someone be?

It took him almost two weeks to ask Thor, in large part because—despite popular belief—Tony knew the man was from an entirely different culture. That had actually been Tony's working theory for a while, in fact: that cuddling was some weird warrior ritual that led to people being respected in the halls of their fathers, or whatever. It wasn't a good theory, but the point was that flat-out asking about what Thor did with his down time might be offensive, or fighting words, or way too nosy.

He got to the point, eventually, where he just didn't care. And that, really, was Bruce's fault; he'd stood up their standing science date to go cuddle with the blond Carebears, and that was unacceptable. Tony cornered Thor at the first available opportunity, which happened to be while he was sitting on the overstuffed entertainment floor couch, being way too good at first person shooters.

Thor seemed surprised when Tony sat down next to him, but in that faintly pleased way that he always had. Thor was ridiculously good-humored about most things, and in light of that, Tony sat, and waited, politely even. After all, you didn't interrupt a man's kill streak.

Eventually, he set the controller aside and turned to Tony, hands resting on the wide expanse of his blue jean covered thighs.

"Is something on your mind, my friend?"

Which, yeah, Tony could admit that he and Thor didn't hang out that often. It wasn't intentional, though, and Thor probably understood that, since he liked Tony as much as he liked any of the others.

"Yeah. Sorry, for interrupting." The apology sounded awkward and weird, but Thor smiled all the same.

"It is no matter. Speak, please."

"I'm just wondering, about you and Jane and Bruce. About the three of you, and your…bonding." It sounded as inoffensive as Tony was capable of being, but Thor didn't react immediately, for good or bad.

"Ah. You are curious about our activities."

"Well, yes. I think so?"

Thor smiled again.

"It is an honor to be a comfort. I may not have told them often enough, but I am glad they come to me with their needs."

Wait, what?

"Could you maybe repeat that?" Because where Tony was, it still mostly sounded like an orgy.

Thor looked confused.

"As their friend, I am glad to help them as they need."

"Yes, but what exactly do they _need_?"

"A friendly presence, mostly." He looked at Tony for another second, and then he nodded with certainty. "You do not understand. Well, come." He held out his arms, and Tony shifted away slightly, but not as much as he should have.

"Sorry, but I don't think I was invited."

Thor only smiled, and didn't so much as relax his arms.

"Come." Another second, and then his eyes crinkled with affection. "My friend."

Tony went, because he figured that he had nothing to lose. He returned the hug, pressed firmly against the broad chest, and waited. Thor didn't smother, but he was warm like lying in the sun, and he didn't hold himself stiff like someone unused to being close, or ashamed of affection for affection's sake. This sort of hug would probably do wonders for a lonely kid, or a couple of nerdy scientists used to being on the outside of everything, for one reason or another.

It was _magical_.

"This might be the best hug I've ever gotten in my life," Tony said after a few minutes, because he could be honest about this. Thor, in response, tightened his arms slightly.

"The myths are not entirely wrong," Thor explained, which was something Tony would have to look into later. For now, he was…tired. Tired, and warm, and at peace.

He dozed lightly for a few minutes, he must have, because the next thing he knew, Thor and he were mostly horizontal and someone was clearing their throat notably from some feet away. Tony looked up, and sure enough, Bruce and Jane stood off to the side, smiling.

"Honestly, Tony; you could have just _asked_ ," Bruce said, and Tony rolled his eyes at the idea that he hadn't. Jane cut off her laugh quickly, probably because she was used to this, to people jumping all over her boyfriend because he felt _nice_.

It was a little hard to explain, come to think of it.

"Next time," Tony responded, and then he shifted, making an attempt to roll to the side. Thor helped, but not as much as the wide, wide couch. He was going to have to have bigger furniture put on every floor, if this was going to be a thing. "Now, get in the cuddly Thunder God pile."

They didn't hesitate, and Thor didn't grunt at the extra weight, or show any sign he cared at all; a totally non-magical perk, as far as Tony was concerned. Better , though, was the arm across his back and the fact that Bruce didn't seem to mind leaning into his hip, and that Jane smiled at him so very warmly where she burrowed into Thor's shoulder.

It was perfect. Peaceful.

"You know, this could _totally_ become an orgy."

Jane and Thor laughed, and Bruce elbowed him in the side. Gently.

"Hush, Tony."

Although he was against following commands as a rule, this time he complied without complaint, and let his eyes fall shut, surrounded by warmth and friends.

****

End

**Author's Note:**

> The mythology I'm talking about, by the way, is that Thor isn't just the god of all those manly things; he was also the god of healing and the protection of mankind. I noticed this doesn't get addressed in fic that often. :)
> 
> Fulfills a prompt provided by raingoddess2040, and the prompt is this: "gen sorta. ScienceBFs & Thor/Jane. Thor and Bruce and Tony and Jane like to cuddle, together or seperate and in differing combinations. They are all alright with this. Occasionally Thor is covered in scientists. It is all good. Everyone else is side-eyeing." 
> 
> For all intents and purposes, I guess this fic is the start of some sort of poly!Avengers verse.


End file.
